The 65 Best Documentaries You Can Watch On Netflix Right Now (January 2023)

While Netflix is starting to make inroads into the best picture category at the Oscars, it's been making a strong showing in the best documentary competition for some time. Although its feature documentary catalog does not stretch very far into the past and is mostly American, it still has plenty of docs that are worth discovering.

True crime stories, like the murder of JonBenet Ramsey and the sexual abuse of U.S. gymnasts, are popular topics, but there are also documentaries on prominent figures from recent history, such as James Baldwin, RBG, and Beyoncé. There are explorations of social issues, including racism and the corruption of corporations under capitalism. Even if the subject is something that the viewer feels they know well, watching these documentaries should still be an act of discovery, providing new information on a well-worn topic, trying to solve a mystery, or shedding light onto a hidden scandal.

Four films on this list are hybrid documentaries that blur fiction and non-fiction, using reenactments to explore their subjects and turning drama into a form of therapy, while perhaps the most rewarding defies definition entirely. Here are the 65 best documentaries that you can watch on Netflix right now.

An adaptation of James Baldwin's unfinished work "Remember This House," this extraordinary documentary by Raoul Peck is divided into chapters and chronicles Baldwin's complicated relationship with America, as well as his memories of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. 

In addition to footage of television interviews with Baldwin, the writer's words are compellingly narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. "I Am Not Your Negro" examines portrayals of Black people in the media, including in films and advertising, during the 20th century. The Kennedys, particularly Bobby, are prominent figures in the story, which includes a recount of a meeting between Lorraine Hansberry, Baldwin, and Kennedy. 

Rather than attempting to be an all-encompassing documentary about Baldwin, Peck wisely does two things: he uses Baldwin's own words to communicate his message, and also keeps the focus fairly narrow. We don't find out much about Baldwin's time in France or his writings on sexuality, for example. Baldwin's urgent, insistent words are about America as a country and the reckoning it must have with itself in order to change for the better.

This documentary follows Victoria Cruz's investigation into the 1992 death of Marsha P. Johnson, an activist for LGBTQ rights and a prominent figure in the Stonewall riots. Despite its title, the documentary gives almost equal attention to Johnson's close friend and fellow activist Sylvia Rivera, who died 10 years after Johnson. There is a lot of footage of Rivera available, most of it heartbreaking, including her being booed while trying to speak at a Gay Pride event, and footage from when she was homeless, living at the same Hudson River piers where Johnson's body was found. 

Cruz diligently and tirelessly tracks down people who can tell her more about Johnson's life and death, including her friend Randy, who Johnson lived with for over a decade. Many different theories are posited as to what may have caused Johnson's death, which was officially ruled a suicide. Perhaps she fell in the river while being pursued by homophobic attackers, or maybe she was the victim of a Mafia hit. 

Unfortunately, answers probably won't be found, but Johnson and Rivera's lives and the lessons they can teach us still matter — as the documentary shows, the same issues that Johnson and Rivera were fighting in the 1970s are still relevant in the 2010s. "The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson" is an important watch.

Julie Cohen and Betsy West released two documentaries in 2021, "My Name is Pauli Murray" and "Julia," but they are still best known for their 2018 film "RBG." Released a couple of years before Ginsburg's death, this film manages to almost deify the subject by looking at how the long-standing Associate Justice of the Supreme Court became a pop culture icon. 

There is so much to Ginsburg's life that, even with a feature-length running time, a documentary or a biopic (see, for example, "On the Basis of Sex") is always going to feel like skimming the surface. In addition, it's always odd when one of the talking heads in this style of documentary is the subject herself. However, despite being made in a straight-forward way, "RGB" offers enough information on Ginsburg's fascinating life to make it worth watching, especially if it's your introduction to her story. 

It's still astounding to discover how little women were allowed to do just a few short decades ago, and how limited their options were. Through seeing the incremental changes that RBG managed to pass into law, we get a good understanding of how women's rights evolved over the course of the 20th century. The memes may be annoying, but Ginsburg is such a monumental figure that she probably deserves an entire documentary series, to say nothing of an individual feature.

This Oscar-winning documentary was helped by having the weight of Netflix and the Obamas behind it, but it's still a surprisingly frank look at a Chinese corporation that opens a factory in Ohio and the culture clash that ensues. Those involved presumably thought that this would be a heart-warming tale about one culture learning from another and discovering that we're not so different after all, but it evolves into something quite different in its final third. 

"American Factory" ends up covering the union-busting efforts of the Chinese company and American higher-ups after the workers start to raise valid safety concerns. Filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert may have ended up with something different than what they set out to capture, but that can often lead to the most exciting documentaries to watch unfold. One of the most eye-opening sections comes when a small cohort of American workers visits China, and it becomes clear just how different the work culture is in the two countries. 

"American Factory" doesn't have one or two "main characters," and it suffers as a result, but it's a big topic with many sides to cover. The circumstances that led to the situation — the workers were initially laid off by General Motors — could fill an entire documentary themselves. "American Factory" does an excellent job at capturing a very specific moment in time in the heart of America.

In 2016, cinematographer Kirsten Johnson made the documentary "Cameraperson," and in 2020 she followed it up with "Dick Johnson Is Dead," another highly personal work that chronicles the last stages of her father's life. "He's a psychiatrist, I'm a cameraperson. I suggested we make a movie about him dying. He said yes," Johnson explains. Johnson films her father's "death" in various outlandish scenarios (many involving stuntmen), as well as his funeral and scenes of him in heaven. 

Dick Johnson is starting to suffer from dementia and, in between the silliness, there are moving scenes in which he realizes that he can no longer drive a car or live alone. However, by staging his funeral with his real friends and family, Dick Johnson gets to hear all of the nice things people say about him before he departs. This is a great film about filmmaking, and one continues the theme of acting as therapy, which is prevalent in many of the documentaries on this list. It's also an incredibly tender exploration of aging and death. 

Conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's often involve many different stages of loss before the end, and watching a loved one gradually disappear can be extremely hard for everyone involved. Kirsten Johnson bravely documents this process, and ends up with a beautiful, funny tribute to her father that is ultimately full of life.

While this documentary isn't particularly well-made, it is notable for many reasons. For one, a documentary about the last Blockbuster Video store in the world being on Netflix of all places is deliciously ironic. "The Last Blockbuster" chronicles the rise and fall of the video rental behemoth, which put most independent video stores out of business, only to slowly die out itself until there were just a few Blockbuster stores in Alaska and one in Bend, Oregon. 

Another irony is that the last remaining Blockbuster location, the one in Bend, is very much like the mom-and-pop stores that the huge corporation drove into the ground. Run by Sandi Harding, who has employed her own children along with most of the other teens in her small community, the last Blockbuster is now beloved by locals and visited by tourists from far and wide who are keen for a shot of nostalgia. 

The talking heads in this documentary include Kevin Smith, Jamie Kennedy, Adam Brody, and Ione Skye, alongside a range of frankly annoying comedians. "The Last Blockbuster" would have benefitted from greater focus on Sandi, the true hero at the center of the story, but it still makes for a welcome distraction from documentaries about much darker subjects.

"A Cop Movie" is very much a documentary of two halves. The first part follows Teresa, who has been a Mexico City police officer for half of her life. We get unprecedented access to her work, and she speaks frankly about the challenges involved in her profession. We also meet Montoya, another police officer, who we discover is Teresa's boyfriend. We see these two cops at both home and at work, speaking honestly about the bribery and corruption that makes their jobs harder, but is the simple reality of the system they're working within. 

In the second half, it is revealed that Teresa and Montoya are actually played by actors named Monica and Raul, although their characters are based on real people. We then see the process that the two actors went through, including enduring police training and embedding themselves with the force, to make the experience as authentic as possible. Raul in particular struggles with the assignment because of his animosity towards the police, and we see him grappling with his decision to be involved with the project. 

Hybrid drama-documentaries such as "Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets" and "All These Sleepless Nights" have become more prevalent in recent years, but "A Cop Movie" lays the acting process bare in its second half, showing us how the sausage is made. It's fascinating.

It's hard to deny that the murder of Meredith Kercher is one of the most fascinating true crimes of this century, due in large part to the far-reaching consequences it had in terms of revealing the flaws in the Italian justice system and the large scale "trial by media" that ensued. Of all the figures involved in the case — there were three male suspects, and one female — American Amanda Knox received by far the most scrutiny and fame, with her name ultimately becoming better known than the victim's.

This documentary is unusual because the case is so unusual. Two people who served prison sentences for murder, Raffaele Sollecito and Knox, are talking heads here, providing their take on the events in question. The main prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, is also featured heavily, and gives his reasons for believing they were guilty (both had their convictions annulled in 2015). By far the most controversial — and, arguably, the most important — inclusion is Nick Pisa, a Daily Mail journalist whose newspaper absolutely went to town on Knox, giving her the moniker "Foxy Knoxy" and dragging every aspect of her life through the mud.

Because the investigation of the crime scene was botched, we will never know for sure exactly what happened to Kercher, but this documentary does let some of the key figures involved tell their stories. Whatever your opinion of Knox and Sollecito happens to be, hearing them discuss the case is still extremely interesting.

With all of the true crime exposes and other hard-hitting documentaries on Netflix, it's always nice to find something that's uplifting and inspiring. "Quincy," which is co-directed by Quincy Jones' daughter Rashida, cuts between Jones' present-day struggles — even with his declining health, he keeps busy performing and producing — and a chronicle of how he got to where he is today.

Jones has worked with all the greats, but was particularly close to Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. Hearing him narrate his story, including his difficult relationship with his mother and the highs of working with Michael Jackson on "Thriller," is extremely moving. The cuts between old footage of Quincy working with his mentors and shots of him mentoring a younger generation that includes the likes of Kendrick Lamar are particularly effective. There's also a breathtaking shot of Jones doing yoga in the present day which seamlessly cuts to footage of him performing the same pose in the early '80s.

"Quincy" is very much a documentary of two halves, with Jones telling his own story in the older footage, and the testimonials of younger people who are in awe of him dominating the newer material. That the film culminates with the opening of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture feels right, especially given that Jones is such an integral part of the whole thing. "Quincy" is an emotional journey, but it's also a beautiful portrait of an important musical figure. I'm glad it was made while he is still with us.

Living legend Dolly Parton's story really covers the entire second half of the 20th century, and witnessing her rise through the music and movie industries tells us so much about the nature of fame and how the ways that women are viewed have changed. This is one of those documentaries where the subject features prominently as a talking head, but Parton is such an endearing personality, and she reflects on her life and career in such an astute way that, in this case, it really works.

One of the most interesting sections of the film comes when Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton discuss the movie they made together, "9 to 5," and the astonishing way that Parton came up with the song that accompanied it. As those who have worked with her over the years attest, Parton's songwriting prowess is truly unbelievable. Here, Parton comes across as a workhorse who has always been happy to collaborate with others, and is not continually trying to hog the limelight. 

Parton is also aware that the song that has probably earned her the most money is Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You," something that she's typically self-effacing about. Parton's entire outlook on her image and her ever-shifting reputation is extremely pragmatic, honest, and without ego. She's a gem of a person, and this is a gem of a documentary.

"Disclosure" tackles an extremely complicated and large topic, and while, like many documentaries on this list, it makes for a good primer on the subject, it can only cover so much in the time given. "Disclosure" focuses on trans representation on screen and how for a long time, "men dressed as women" were either horror movie villains (see, for example, "Psycho" or "Silence of the Lambs") or the butts of jokes. As time moved on, cisgender men were lauded for portraying trans women, with Jared Leto and Eddie Redmayne both winning Oscars for such performances, but that in no way solved the problem.

While trans actors are starting to get more opportunities — Laverne Cox in "Orange is the New Black" and the cast of "POSE," to name two — there is still much to be done. For one, trans men are still woefully under-represented in movies and TV shows. "Disclosure" features a fairly wide range of trans actors, but including trans film critics and historians as well would have helped provide more context. 

In the end, "Disclosure" is an important introduction to the issue for the Netflix viewer who has never really considered trans representation on screen before, but it would've really benefited from being a series; the extra space would've allow it to construct a deeper and more wide-ranging look at decades of film history through a trans lens.

To coincide with the release of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," Netflix released this documentary about the August Wilson Monologue Competition, in which high school students compete for the chance to perform on Broadway. Wilson was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and one of the best-known chroniclers of Black American life. His masterwork is the 10-play "Pittsburgh Cycle," which covers every decade of the 20th century.

"Giving Voice" follows a program that opens doors for young people and gives them opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have. The high school students come from 12 cities in the U.S., and most are POC who come from schools that don't have arts or theater classes. For most of the ones who get the opportunity to go to New York, it's their first time traveling away from their home city. 

It is moving to see these performers engage with Wilson's plays, which can be set 50 or 100 years ago, and make extremely personal connections to the material. Many of them see their mothers, aunts, brothers, or themselves in the characters. Their different interpretations of the same monologues are really interesting to see. 

The documentary gives limited information about Wilson, but there are other places to find out more about him. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis (who both starred in Wilson's "Fences") contribute as talking heads, and speak movingly about Wilson's work.

Divine — real name Harris Glenn Milstead — was a drag performer and the muse of Baltimore-based director John Waters, who became friends with Divine when they were teenagers. "I Am Divine" is a whistle-stop tour through Divine's life and career on the stage, screen, and in music, mostly told by his close friends (including Waters) and his mother, who unfortunately outlived him by 20 years.

The documentary provides solid insights into how a young person can feel like an outcast until they meet "their people"; in Divine's case, this was Waters and a band of misfits called the Dreamlanders. Of course, "Pink Flamingos" was Divine's breakthrough role — and it was so controversial, it would follow him for the rest of his life. However, both the movie and Divine himself gained cult status.

It is interesting to see interviews in which Divine talks about wanting to be a character actor who could disappear into both male and female roles, and how he wanted to collaborate with people other than Waters. Seeing him work with Hollywood legend Tab Hunter is also really fun. Like many of the documentaries on this list, this is a great introduction if you didn't know much about the person and his work. Divine was clearly very loved by his found family, and it's heartbreaking that he was taken from us so young.

Method acting has been talked about quite a bit recently, with "Succession" star Jeremy Strong revealing his process in a much-discussed New Yorker article. Some people believe it's self-indulgent nonsense that negatively affects the rest of the cast and crew, while others see it as a sign that the actor is taking the work seriously. It's not often that an actor's method is documented on-camera, as most of them would probably consider this a distraction.

As such, "Jim & Andy" provides a rare insight into the behind-the-scenes activities on a movie set with a star who has gone "full method." In this case, Jim Carrey is playing comedian Andy Kaufman in Milos Forman's "Man on the Moon," and the blurring of lines between Jim, Andy, and one of Andy's personas, Tony Clifton, is complicated, to say the least. You can't help but feel for Forman and the poor crew members who have to deal with a star who's inhabiting such an a-hole. One of the most bizarre sections is Jim-as-Andy provoking a real-life wrestler who used to fight Andy until the wrestler snaps.

In additional segments filmed in 2017, Carrey reflects on making the film in 1999, and is considerably philosophical about his life and career. Disarmingly, he looks straight into the lens, and you can feel the power that he had over others while making "Man on the Moon." You will come away with your own opinions of Carrey, but as a document of the making of the film, this is incredible and valuable.

As someone who loves fashion documentaries, this portrait of Olivier Rousteing, who became the creative director of a French fashion house at the age of 24, goes in an unexpected direction. While it would have been interesting to find out more about how he came to lead an internationally-renowned brand at such a young age, the focus of "Wonder Boy" is mainly on Rousteing's search to find out more about his identity and his biological parents, as he was adopted as a baby.

We do see some scenes of Rousteing in the atelier and at catwalk shows. Like many of the famous figures in these documentaries, he comes across as lonely when he's away from the hullabaloo of the fashion industry. As in the Lady Gaga documentary, one of the highlights comes when he visits his grandparents in the country. 

Like an episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?," "Wonder Boy contains an especially emotional scene in which Rousteing finally reads the records that reveal more about his parents, including where they were born, the circumstances of his birth, and the age of his mother. While "Wonder Boy" might not be a conventional fashion documentary, the director obviously knew that she had to go where the story led her, and it becomes something much more intimate because of it. It's a moving experience.

This Sundance documentary (which, like "American Factory," was picked up by the Obamas) tells the story of a group of teenagers who met at summer camp and went on to make a huge impact on the country. Camp Jened in upstate New York was a place where disabled teens could have fun, be independent of their parents, and, most importantly, be listened to by the counselors. In most cases, the counselors were only a few years older than the campers themselves, and many had disabilities of their own.

Later, many of the campers met up in Berkeley and became politically active. They engaged in a month-long sit-in at a federal building, and went to Washington to campaign for wheelchair access to become required in public buildings, including schools. In terms of leadership and the prestigious career she would go on to have, activist Judy Heumann is the most prominent figure in the documentary — she's even advised presidents.

However, the most admirable part of "Crip Camp" is that everyone, even if they have speech difficulties, is given a voice and the time to be heard. There is a particularly upsetting section in the film that shows the kinds of institutions that many disabled people were once sent to and more or less forgotten about. Still, the vast majority of the documentary is uplifting, showing the determination of a group of people who just want the same access and rights as everyone else.

In 2008, Luke Holland, whose grandparents were murdered during the Holocaust, set out to interview some of the last remaining people who participated in the Third Reich. It is unclear why it took over 10 years for the documentary to be made; perhaps Holland was waiting for the interviewees to pass on. Holland questions former members of Hitler Youth and the SS about their complicity — and not all were passive observers. It's very much a test of the adage "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," and Holland admirably pushes the interviewees, even when some of them make it clear that they have no regrets.

Although it shouldn't make a difference, having much of the archival footage in color makes it feel more immediate, and really brings the young people to life. Their expressions are unguarded as they giggle while lining up in a Hitler Youth parade, making it seem like Scout Camp — the kids liked the uniforms and songs. There is one particularly evocative section in which old photographs of the Jews in their communities are projected onto the dilapidated buildings that stand there today.

It's hard to imagine the courage it must've taken for Holland to face the very people who were present for such atrocities, and who, in some cases, even participated in them. "Final Account" is a brave piece of filmmaking as well as a vital one, as these voices should be recorded and preserved.

One of the most iconic figures of the 20th century, Audrey Hepburn's image is larger than life, with many people having Audrey-themed artwork in their homes. But the real Hepburn was quite different, a vulnerable figure whose father abandoned her at a young age, and who sought the affection of men for most of her life as a result. The documentary doesn't shy away from the fact that both of Hepburn's parents were fascists, and how formative her war-time childhood, during which she suffered from malnutrition, really was. You can draw a direct line from this experience to the work she did in the final act of her life as a U.N. ambassador.

In between, of course, there were the glamorous collaborations with fashion designers Hubert de Givenchy, who helped create Hepburn's image in films like "Sabrina" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and Edith Head, who created the costumes for "Roman Holiday" and "Funny Face." Hepburn chose to step back from acting in the late '60s to raise her children, meaning that her career shone briefly but brightly. Hepburn also had two long marriages that she was determined to make work, despite numerous infidelities. However, it sounds as though her time in Italy and Switzerland after both marriages had ended was her happiest.

While some of the talking heads in "Audrey" are questionable choices, as they're people who didn't know Hepburn personally, the film contains contributions from her son Sean and close friends from her time in Italy. As with many of these celebrity documentaries, "Audrey" is a good introduction to a legend.

While 2018's "Free Solo" may have won an Oscar, Alex Honnold is not the only alpine-style climber worthy of his own documentary. The subject of "The Alpinist," Marc-André Leclerc, is an incredibly young and fairly reclusive climber who is something of a whispered legend in the climbing community. He's also the reluctant subject of this documentary, which makes the film more interesting, as documentaries are most fascinating when you begin to question the filmmaking process. 

Leclerc believes in the purity of the climbing experience, achieving breath-taking ascents up sheer cliff faces with little-to-no equipment or support. However, solo climbing becomes a lot less solo when a documentary crew is in tow. The contrast to Nims Purja (the subject of "14 Peaks") is clear: One is an out-going personality who's keen to document and promote his achievements, while the other is much shier and secretive. 

Two things really stand out about Leclerc: his extreme youth, which gives him a refreshing outlook on the world, and his self-sufficiency, as he survives on very little money. Leclerc and girlfriend Brette live a simple life, initially residing in an actual stairwell before beginning a nomadic existence and camping outdoors. Leclerc's lack of phone and his tendency to go off the radar for long stretches of time provide further challenges to the filmmakers. "The Alpinist" is a brief insight into a rich life full of adventure that constantly gives us the feeling that Leclerc's best experiences are probably not the ones captured on film.

If you love Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous" (2000), you may already know that it's a semi-autobiographical account of Crowe's time writing for Rolling Stone, which began when he was hired at age 15 by editor Ben Fong-Torres. "Like a Rolling Stone" provides more insights into Fong-Torres' time with the magazine, which began in the '60s when the publication was based in San Francisco, and lasted through its move to New York in the late '70s.

The glimpses into Fong-Torres' family life are what really make this story so appealing. Going from being the son of impoverished immigrants to befriending the biggest stars in the world is certainly quite the journey. The most moving part of the film is undoubtedly any mention of Ben's older brother Barry, who was murdered in 1972, and who Fong-Torres cannot discuss without welling up to this day. Notably, Fong-Torres' only access to music as a kid was via a cheap radio hung outside the window, but his unmatched writing skills helped build Rolling Stone into the highly respected magazine it still is today — many of the world's biggest rock stars would only agree to an interview if it was conducted by Fong-Torres.

We also get some looks at Fong-Torres' friendship and collaborations with Annie Lebovitz, which is another highlight of "Like a Rolling Stone." While the Fong-Torres of 2022 is very much a part of this documentary, this is a look back at an entirely different time, and will make you mourn for the heyday of rock, roll, and print magazines.

In times such as these, it helps to have a reminder that an extremely unlikely feat of international cooperation not only happened, but is still happening 250 miles above Earth. There aren't many things in today's world that make us feel proud to be human, but the International Space Station is one of them. Appropriately, Clare Lewins' documentary features a large number of interviews with astronauts and cosmonauts who have spent time aboard the ISS, and who share what life is like when you spend months orbiting the Earth at thousands of miles per hour.

These people's anecdotes about their childhoods and their stories about how they first started dreaming about going to space are illustrated with potently emotional imagery and arty reconstructions, all set to a surprisingly incredible soundtrack. While this might be a bit much for some, there's a reason why you watch a film about a subject rather than just read the Wikipedia page. "The Wonderful" is also a reminder of how creative documentaries can be — they're as much a filmmaker's medium as narrative movies. If someone isn't going to experiment with both the visuals and the soundscape, then there seems little point in making a movie, given that other formats are available.

It's interesting to hear about how those aboard ISS learned about events such as 9/11 and the 2003 Columbia disaster. But the documentary also provides something that we all need: Seeing the Earth from afar is a potent reminder that we're all a part of something much bigger. Wonderful, indeed.

Drummers are certainly a specific type, and while "Count Me In" doesn't really examine what kinds of personalities are attracted to bashing things to hell (and doesn't feature Animal, for shame), it still includes pretty much every significant name you can think of when it comes to famous jazz and rock drummers from the last 70 or so years. While late figures like Keith Moon can only be discussed by their reverent peers, the documentary's line-up of talking heads is pretty impressive. There's Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain, The Clash's Topper Headon, The Police's Stewart Copeland, Queen's Roger Taylor, and — with a tinge of sadness, now — Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins.

The filmmakers behind "Count Me In" have clearly made an effort to include as many women as possible, including Cindy Blackman Santana, Samantha Maloney, Jess Bowen, and Emily Dolan Davies. You'll also get to see some sweet home movie footage of babies and children being given drum sets, and witness (and, of course, hear) their excitement. Each one of the subjects has one or two massive influences, and hearing them describe the different techniques and styles that made their heroes stand out is probably the best part of the film.

Each drummer featured here is proud of their unique abilities to drive not only the bands they play with, but the crowds they play for — audience members respond to their beats, and their rhythms provide the music's driving force. "Count Me In" is a must-watch for music fans.

Many people probably think that we've learned everything possible about ancient Egyptian tombs. However, new discoveries are still being made all the time. Crucially, however, it is now Egyptian experts who do this work, rather than Howard Carter and other (mainly British) foreigners who took the antiquities out of the country, as they used to in the past. 

"Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb" follows the discovery of the burial place of a high-ranking priest named Wahtye and his family, all of whom appear to have died around the same time. It's astonishing to see just how perfectly preserved the walls of the tomb are, with drawings, hieroglyphs, and brightly colored sculptures. The highlight of the story arrives when the archeologists start to decipher hieroglyphs and uncover the mystery behind Wahtye, including the fact that he stole the tomb from someone else. 

The Saqqara tomb is known for its mummified cats, and another exciting moment comes when they find a huge mummy, which they soon realize isn't a domesticated animal but rather the first example of a new breed. In addition, the archeologists must race against time to finish the excavation before the season ends and their funding runs out, adding a great deal of tension. While "Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb" is not a ground-breaking documentary, it's worth watching for anyone interested in ancient Egypt.

If you're a fan of sports stories and true crime documentaries, you will probably enjoy "Last Breath," which feels very much like a combination of both. This tale of North Sea oil platform diver Chris Lemons, who becomes stranded at the bottom of the ocean, is structured like a true crime film, withholding information for a midpoint twist that's designed to elicit a big reaction.

Even before things go horribly wrong, "Last Breath" tells an extraordinary tale of endurance. Three divers with wildly contrasting personalities must live in a pressurized tank onboard a ship for a month before the dive in order to acclimatize their bodies to being 100 meters below sea level. Lemons has one teammate who is like a kindly father, and who reacts to the unfolding horror emotionally, and another who is much more pragmatic.

"Last Breath" is largely made up of talking heads who recount the incident, combined with as much real footage from the accident as possible. The reconstructed sequences are unfortunately not as well done as those in "Touching the Void" or 2021's spectacular "The Rescue," but "Last Breath" still provides enough nerve-wracking excitement to make it worth watching.

This companion piece to Amazon's "One Child Nation" focuses on three teenage girls living in the U.S. who are keen to discover more about their backgrounds, and if possible, find their real parents. China's one-child policy led to many baby girls being abandoned and ending up in orphanages, and some were adopted by foreigners. Via 23andMe, three girls get in touch with one another after discovering that they are cousins and decide to journey back to China to visit the orphanages they came from, meet the nannies who cared for them, and find out more about their pasts.

It's interesting to see what became of the girls as they evolved into typical American teens, and to imagine how different their lives would've been in rural China. A woman who they hire to help find their parents — a proverbial search for a needle in a haystack — and her interviews with the mothers who were forced to give up their babies is the most heartbreaking section of the film. Frankly, it's shocking that we're talking about the very recent past; China lifted the one-child policy in 2015, and only removed all limits on the numbers of children families could have in July 2021.

Unfortunately, the removal of the one-child policy doesn't magically change attitudes towards girls in China, and cultural shifts take much longer than policy changes. Still, by zooming in on these three girls, Amanda Lipitz's "Found" effectively examines the ramifications of this policy on children, parents, and the country as a whole.

A documentary that ended up being perfectly but poignantly timed features Toni Morrison telling her own story shortly before her death in August 2019. We are extremely lucky that Morrison herself gets to be our guide in "The Pieces I Am," as the documentary would have been considerably weaker if it had only featured talking heads reminiscing about her. As a natural born storyteller, Morrison is a captivating narrator — she is extremely frank and clear, open and honest, and direct with the audience.

Morrison's story is, of course, an extraordinary one. She juggled editing at Random House, teaching at various colleges, and being a single mother all while writing her first novels in the '60s and '70s. The documentary shows how her supporters, including Angela Davis and Maya Angelou, pushed for Morrison to get the recognition she deserved, leading to her winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1988 and the Nobel Prize in 1993. Oprah Winfrey, a huge fan of Morrison's work who was instrumental in bringing "Beloved" to the screen, is another prominent figure in "The Pieces I Am."

The archival interviews with Morrison are also an important document of the kinds of questions she's had to field over the years, and they demonstrate that Morrison was never afraid to be challenging with her answers. "The Pieces I Am" is an extremely valuable record of Morrison's life, as she had a huge say in what would be left once she passed on.

Documentaries that begin as being about one thing, and then gradually expand like a blooming flower are often the most rewarding. "Coded Bias" begins with a simple problem: Joy Buolamwini, a Ghanaian-American-Canadian scientist, is working on an invention at MIT that relies on facial recognition software, but she cannot get it to recognize her face as a face. However, when she puts on a featureless white mask, the camera recognizes it immediately. This leads her to realize that facial recognition systems, and then by extension all computer algorithms, have inherent biases due to the data and humans it has learned from. 

The documentary ends up tackling a broad and complex subject in a short runtime, but handles it well, thanks to focusing on the experts (all women) leading the campaign for more awareness about how dangerous AI can be. Subjects covered include the use of CCTV on the streets of London and in a Brooklyn apartment complex, mandatory surveillance in China, and how algorithms are being used to decide college admissions, healthcare, credit card applications, and more in the US. 

While government surveillance is one thing (and is a topic further explored in documentaries such as "Citizenfour" and "We Steal Secrets"), "Coded Bias" also looks at the vast amount of personal data collected and sold by corporations such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google. By the time that Boulamwini makes her case in front of Congress, your mind will be buzzing from all of the ways we're being monitored and how the systems that collect our information are flawed, unregulated, and downright dangerous.

Unfortunately, any documentary about a sports figure, especially one from Formula 1, is inevitably going to be compared with Asif Kapadia's 2010 masterpiece "Senna." This documentary about Michael Schumacher does not reach those heights, but it's still an interesting look at the career of one of the sport's leading legends. There's quite a large shadow cast over the documentary due to the fact that, since 2013, Schumacher has been unable to communicate (publicly, at least) due to a near-fatal skiing accident. However, the film does have the endorsement of, and contributions from, his wife and children, who are fiercely protective of Michael's privacy.

Schumacher was a controversial figure, as he was seen as an extreme perfectionist who had a desire to win at all costs, leading to several collisions on the track. After coming from nowhere to dominate F1 in a couple of years in the early 1990s, Schumacher challenged himself by joining Ferrari, which was a failing team at the time. Hearing how Schumacher tirelessly worked with the mechanics and rest of the team to improve their car is the most impressive part of his story. 

Almost every name you can think of from '90s and '00s Formula 1 contributes, and it's fascinating to hear so many different perspectives on this man who dominated the track for so long. Their relationships with Schumacher on and off the track were obviously two different things. Seeing glimpses of Schumacher partying and enjoying family life also provides an insight into a rarely-seen part of his life. All in all, it's a solid sports documentary.

At the age of 90, Rita Moreno is living Hollywood royalty, as well as a still-working actor (she recently starred in the sitcom "One Day at a Time"). Still best-known for her Oscar-winning turn as Anita in 1961's "West Side Story," this documentary reveals that there is a lot more to Moreno's story than her performance of "America" (as wonderful as that is). Her tale begins with the almost-casual revelation that her mother took Moreno from Puerto Rico to New York, leaving behind her father and brother, who she never saw again. Moreno then became the family's main breadwinner as a dancer and entertainer. 

From the stereotypical "native" or generically "ethnic" roles that she was offered to the sexual abuse she suffered from men in positions of power, Moreno's history in Hollywood is littered with racism and sexism. Even after winning the Oscar, Moreno was not offered better parts, and returned to the stage. Details about Moreno's relationship with Marlon Brando are also eye-opening, and she is frank about her long marriage, which seemed perfect on the outside. 

Moreno is a perfect subject for a documentary, as she is open about being an attention-seeker and loving the limelight, but also tells uncomfortable truths about the reality of being a Latin-American woman in 20th-century America. Both her Hollywood stories and her wider experiences as a woman and person of color are absolutely worthy of exploration. As "Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It" shows, there are many lessons to be learned from Rita Moreno.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

If you're looking for the zenith of the true crime documentary, you've come to the right place. "Girl in the Picture" has pretty much every ingredient of a classic true crime tale, with more twists than you shake a stick at. It's also told in the style we've come to expect from the genre, withholding information so that it can be revealed in stages for maximum impact. Finally, it covers some difficult and deeply sad subjects, so be warned.

The woman who the central mystery surrounds went by many different names, including Sharon and Tonya, and was very different things to different people. It's moving to hear her high school friends speak about her, and to learn what a bright future she had ahead of her. However, she would go on to become an exotic dancer with a controlling husband and a toddler. Tonya's tragic death in 1990 (when she was in her early 20s) was only the beginning of the mystery, and it took up until 2014 for her true identity, and that of her husband, to be revealed. 

It's a truly unbelievable story, and while the documentary may be considered sensationalist (depending on your tolerance for true crime), it does center the victim. For the most part, "Girl in the Picture" is mostly a sensitive and sympathetic portrait of a woman who didn't stand a chance from a very early age.

History is far more potent when we can see and touch it. Therefore, when actual artifacts are found that tell an important story, it's essential that they're preserved. "Descendant" tells the tale of a small community called Africatown in Alabama, which is largely made up of descendants of people who arrived on a slave ship called the Clotilda, which was brought to the US after slavery was outlawed. The truth of what happened has been passed down via the oral tradition within the community, keeping alive a story that was not discussed openly. The descendants of the Meaher Family, who profited from the "contents" of the ship, are still powerful in the area. 

There are many uncomfortable moments in "Descendant," and director Margaret Brown does not shy away from showing them. That includes the fact that the researchers leading the way in trying to locate and salvage the Clotilda are all white. The white man who claims to be the first one to locate the ship comes across as gleeful in the face of a Black community's pain. One descendant of the white slave owners does bravely face the descendants of the Clotilda's slaves, but he claims that his ancestor was "one of the good ones" who didn't mistreat his charges. When it's announced that the ship has been located and an artist's rendering is revealed, the smattering of applause is understandably muted. The descendants have complicated feelings; yes, locating the ship brings some closure, but if the environmental conditions in the area do not improve, then what has it all been for?

Adventure tourism comes with a risk. That's a big part of its appeal, but sometimes unpredictable things happen, which lead to enormous disasters. For those on a December 2019 cruise in New Zealand, an excursion to a volcanic island probably sounded like an exciting day trip, but 47 people ended up in trouble when a particularly explosive eruption occurred. Instead of flows of lava, the volcano suddenly released steam, which effectively boiled those nearby alive. "Rescue from Whakaari" tells the extraordinary story, mostly via first-hand accounts from the survivors and those who rescued them.

Some of the people telling their tales not only sustained horrific injuries, but also lost family members during the devastating event. A small boat that was in the midst of ferrying people away from the island when the eruption happened made the bold decision to return to the island to rescue 23 survivors. Given the extent of their injuries, it's likely that the death toll would have been much greater if the captain had not done this. Some helicopter pilots also took it upon themselves to fly to the island, rescuing a further 12 people. Something not covered in the documentary is the fact that these pilots later faced the threat of legal prosecution for their acts of bravery. Still, "The Volcano" tells an extraordinary story, and having access to some of the people who were literally at the mouth of the volcano when it exploded makes for a gripping experience.